Trigger guard safety for dual trigger firearms



ARMS

R. MEUNIER July 20, 1965 TRIGGER GUARD SAFETY FOR DUAL TRIGGER FIREFiled Feb. 15, 1965 EH: ..iL

INVENTOR Rub E11 Mannie: M M x 5 .11114, ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,195,259 TRIGGER GUARD SAFETY FOR DUAL TRIGGER FIREARMS Robert Meunier,New Bedford, Mass assignor to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Feb. 15, 1965, Ser. No.432307 5 Claims. (Cl. 42-7 (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952),see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used byor for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment tome of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to firearms and pertains more particularly to thetrigger mechanisms thereof.

Dual firing systems are incorporated in some firearms to extend thescope thereof and such firearms generally require two tandem arrangedtriggers for separately firing the two firing systems. Problems havearisen in these firearms as to space for the installation of aconventional type trigger guard because of the compactness required ofthe dual firing system and the requirements for the additional structurein the firearm receiver.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a triggerguard which utilizes the front one of the two triggers as a componentpart so that the trigger guard takes up a minimum of space in thefirearm.

It is another object of this invention to provide for such firearms atrigger guard which includes the front one of the two triggers and apivotal member which is engageable with the front trigger to establish aguard around the rear trigger and which also serves to hold the fronttrigger against displacement when engaged therewith to act as a safetytherefor.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a trigger guardwhich, when disengaged from the front trigger to permit use thereof andfolded away, acts as a safety to prevent accidental displacement of therear trigger.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side view of a firearm showing the trigger guardof this invention mounted thereon and the pivotal member swung intoposition to engage the front trigger; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the pivotal member foldedaway into the pistol grip with the rear trigger safetied by the pivotalmember and the pistol grip partially broken away to show the foldedposition of the pivotal member therein.

Shown in the figures is a firearm 12 having a dual firing system andselected fire power and which is provided with a receiver 14 and apistol grip 16 depending therefrom. Pivotally mounted in receiver 14forwardly of pistol grip 16 is a pair of tandem arranged triggersincluding a front trigger 18 and a rear trigger 20. A cylindricalselector knob 21 for selecting the fire powerof firearm 12 is rotatablymounted on the bottom of receiver 14 forwardly of front trigger 18 andthereby blocks any installation of a conventional type trigger guard forprotecting the front trigger and rear trigger from accidental contactand discharge of the firearm.

Consequently, there is provided for firearm 12 a trigger guard 22 whichconsists of front trigger 18 and a fender 24 of strap iron stock, whichis pivotally mounted in pistol grip 16 on a transverse pin 26 for snapengagement ice with the end of the front trigger, as hereinafterdescribed. Provided in pistol grip 16 is a recess 28 which extendsthereinto from the front side to receive fender 24 when swung down to afolded position.

Fender 24 is of L-configuration having a first arm 31) and a second arm32 ext-ending at approximately right angles thereto. integrally formedon first arm 36, approximately midway the length thereof, is a bushing34 which receives pin 26 for pivotally mounting fender 24 and whichforms a finger 36 that extends between the bushing and the free end ofthe first arm. Pin 26 is located in pistol grip 16 in back of reartrigger it and finger 36 is so designed that, when fender 24 is swung tothe folded position, the finger projects forwardly from the pistol gripinto contact with the rear side of the rear trigger, as shown in FIG. 2,to block rearward displacement thereof.

integrally formed on the free end of second arm 32 is an essentiallyU-shaped fastener 38 which snaps over the end of front trigger 18 whenfender 24 is swung to the engaged position, whereby the front trigger isreleasably held against rearward displacement and rear trigger 20 isprotected against accidental contact. Moreover, when fender 24 is swunginto the engaged position, as shown in FIG. 1, finger 36 is pivotedupwardly away from contact with rear trigger 20 which is thereby free tobe actuated for discharge of firearm 12.

Thus, when fender 24 is swung to the engaged position, it joins fronttrigger 18 to form trigger guard 22 for the protection of rear trigger21D and also acts as a safety to prevent actuation of the front trigger.When fender 24 is swung to the folded position within recess 28, fronttrigger 18 is released for actuation and rear trigger 20 is blockedagainst actuation by finger 36.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described indetail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised withinthe spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended toinclude such variations.

I claim: I

1. In a gun having a receiver and pistol grip depending therefrom, afront trigger and a rear trigger pivotally mounted on the receiver so asto depend therefrom in tandem arrangement forwardly of the pistol grip,and a fender mounted on the pistol grip in cooperation with said fronttrigger to provide a trigger guard for said rear trigger and a safetyfor said front trigger.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and including means for mountingsaid fender on said pistol grip for pivotal displacement between anengaged and a folded position, means on said fender for engaging saidfender when in the engaged position with said front trigger to formtherewith a trigger guard respective to said second trigger and to forma safety to prevent accidental actuation of said first trigger, andmeans on said fender for preventing actuation of said rear trigger whensaid fender is in the folded position.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 and including means for mountingsaid fender on said pistol grip for pivotal displacement between anengaged and a folded position, a recess in the pistol grip for receivingsaid fender when in the folded position, and a fastener formed on saidfender for cooperation with said front trigger when said fender is inthe engaged position to provide snap engagement between said fender andthe front trigversely disposed through the pistol grip and said bushingfor pivotally mounting said fender, a finger formed between said bushingand the free end of said first arm, said finger being arranged to blockdisplacement of said trigger when said fender is in the folded position,and wherein said fastener is terminally formed on said second arm.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A GUN HAVING A RECEIVER AND PISTOL GRIP DEPENDING THEREFROM, AFRONT TRIGGER AND A REAR TRIGGER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE RECEIVER SO ASTO DEPEND THEREFROM IN TANDEM ARRANGEMENT FORWARDLY OF THE PISTOL GRIP,AND A FENDER MOUNTED ON THE PISTOL GRIP IN COOPERATION WITH SAID FRONTTRIGGER TO PROVIDE A TRIGGER GUARD FOR SAID REAR TRIGGER AND A SAFETYFOR SAID FRONT TRIGGER.